Arne Slot appeared to hit out at Liverpool being made to play at 12.30pm this Saturday following their Champions League win over Bologna. The Dutchman watched his side make it six points from six in the new competition league phase, the Reds prevailing 2-0 at Anfield.
Despite having to come through a difficult spell just before half-time, the hosts controlled much of the contest, taking the lead early after Alexis Mac Aliister turned in Mohamed Salah’s cross.
The provider then turned scorer after the break, curling a superb effort into the top corner from outside the area.
It’s eight wins in nine games in all competitions for Slot since taking over from Jurgen Klopp, although his side now face a crucial period that sees them play Chelsea, RB Leipzig, Arsenal and Brighton in successive games. Prior to those fixtures though, Liverpool go to Crystal Palace this Saturday for a 12.30pm kick-off.
During his tenure, Klopp continuously raged over his side regularly playing Premier League matches at that time. And after being asked after the game about his impressive start on Merseyside, and the games coming up, Slot already appears to be following suit.
“It’s hardly impossible to do something special at this club,” he told TNT Sports. “It says a lot about how we started how players bought into it, the effort put in, the staff helped me.
“Even more difficult fixtures coming up starting on Saturday when we play a 12:30 kick-off after a Wednesday evening Champions League game. It’s nice to start this way, that’s clear.”
In his final weeks in charge of Liverpool last May, Klopp made a point of calling out broadcasters, describing the scheduling as “absolutely insane.” And prior to his penultimate home game in charge against Tottenham, he jokingly suggested Premier League chiefs were deliberately trying to rile him.
“I was actually waiting for Amnesty International to go to them,” he said. “I would like to be part of that meeting when someone says ‘Liverpool 12:30’ and the whole room is bursting into laughter.”
Despite his side comfortably closing out matters after Salah’s strike, Slot did admit he wasn’t entirely satisfied with the display. His side wasted some clear chances, with Darwin Nunez and Dominik Szobsolai both wasteful in fromt of goal in the first half.
“It wasn’t an easy one, in my opinion Bologna made it difficult,” he said. “Similar to Atalanta, they man-mark all over the pitch. Wait for the right moment if you play through completely open – it was many times. The last pass could have been better.”
